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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · fine · ground · board · row · key · ruler · foot

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fine — all right
  3. key — for a lock
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — the most important part
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ground — the earth
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — in music
  18. board — a committee
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. branch — a division
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com